Vignette #2 of 3
The room is festooned with banners and balloons, menorahs and crèches. The noise level is high as people gather. Laughter, hugs, kisses, and warm greetings identify this as a family gathering. The group finally gets seated, and dinner is about to be served. Two women rise. One recites a Hebrew blessing, and the other an old Scottish Christian one. Thanks acknowledged, attention is turned enthusiastically to the food.
We live in interesting times and in a rapidly changing world. Many world areas have a great diversity in their population. To live fully has always required hard work, well developed life skills, and a dash of good fortune! The multicultural mix adds more complications. For such a culture to flourish, it needs understanding citizens who value acceptance, and who reject prejudice.
Old fears die slowly. For many eons we have been comfortable only with those “like us.” How enriching to find people with different colour, religion, and race who cherish the same life values that we do. What a marvelous opportunity for us all.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.
Mom I am enjoying the ‘vignettes’. I was just glancing back at ‘the archives’ and remembering that lunch in Bragg Creek when brother Ralph suggested you start a blog….and then turned it over to Isabel to enable. You (and they) should be very ‘chuffed’ with what you’ve accomplished since then.
Mary – I am very pleased that you are enjoying the vignettes! It has been a learning process for me, trying to express one main idea with a minimum of words. The blog in general, is satisfying “work” for me, and credit to you all for encouragement and help.
Marjorie, I have always been glad that my sons grew up in a very multi-cultural neighborhood, with kids from many different countries and ethnic groups, with many different skin colors. They grew up with no fear of others, and with acceptance of diversity. Edmonton has changed so much! My school had only WASPs!
Yes, Anne – My children also had a different social\cultural experience from mine. With Sheldon’s profession, we moved all over, and they knew people and places varied widely. In the small prairie town of my childhood, the only non-white we even saw was the Chinese laundry man. A pretty limited view.